The Nokke
by TalaDentro
Summary: Challenge: Harry accidentally gets a potion dropped on him and discovers some changes… every beast finds him irresistible! Now Harry must play "keep-away" from the beasties within the castle who will fight to the death to possess him.
1. The Potion

**A/N: So I found this challenge and thought, what the hell, I can do this shit. I really can't but here it is anyway. And yeah this would be one of those times when the magical lightning bunny of ideas struck me at three a.m. (if you're a regular reader you understand that, and a tip of my hat to you *winks*). So this story is really long, so I separated it into chapters (I know I suck at that so I apologize in advance) which are an average of 600words each, I think 8 thousand+ in total. I'm not sure how I want to do the chapters...maybe an update a week? Let me know when you review.**

**Disclaimer: Own nothing, no money, seriously how many times do you need to hear this?**

**Warning: Slash, language, ooc, etc**

**Timeline: Harry killed Voldie in 5****th**** year; Sirius is alive because I like it that way. **

**Pairing: I'm not gonna tell yooouuu.**

**Creatures: Vampire, veela, ashray, dryad, kitsune, canaima, agloolik, child of Asena, and nokke (I explain what all of these are later, but if that's not enough for you there's always google or blackle or bing). **

**Beta: FirstLaugh-LastTears because "BTW" Which doesn't make any sense but oh well.**

**Let it Begin!**

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"Longbottom NO!" Snape shouted running toward the boy, but it was too late.

Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived-To-Kill-Voldemort(-Again), potions student not-so-extraordinaire, who hadn't been paying attention to what his partner had been willy-nilly throwing into the cauldron, heard the cry and sprung into action. He pushed Neville aside and cast a shielding charm that created a bubble around the cauldron. Fortunately for the rest of the students in the class, it was successful. Unfortunately for him, he was inside the bubble when the potion exploded.

He screamed when the boiling neon blue liquid hit his skin. Searing pain erupted all over his body. It grew worse and worse until his mind was filled with nothing but the agonizing sensations. His scream cut off as he dropped to the floor of the potion's classroom, unconscious.

The rest of the class could do nothing but watch, in horror, the blue liquid spread and formed a thick membrane around their savior.

Snape rushed forward, but was again pushed back by the shield charm. "Finite!" He snapped impatiently.

The bubble wavered and vanished with a small pop. Snape knelt down next to Harry's still prone form and gently poked the membrane with his wand. A bolt of electricity shot out and hit the man in the chest. He was thrown backwards against the wall. His head hit with a crack, and he too fell to the floor unconscious.

Draco Malfoy rolled his eyes and snarled arrogantly, "Serves you right. Anyone with a brain would know better than to touch an unknown substance like that. Will someone please run and fetch the headmaster and Madam Pomfrey? We're going to need them."

"I'll get the headmaster. Seamus, you fetch Pomfrey, it'll be faster that way." Hermione said briskly. Seamus nodded and followed her from the room.

Draco sneered. "Two would be faster than one to get people on separate floors of the castle? No kidding. Leave it to the mudblood to point out the obvious."

"Shut it Malfoy!" Ron hollered. He shoved Draco hard from behind. Draco's eyes widened in surprise and he lost his balance. Arms flailing, he fell on Harry. He gave a yelp and like Snape was shot across the room into the wall.

Blaise snickered. "Well that's three, I wonder who'll be next."

He didn't have to wait long for an answer. The blue membrane swelled and more electricity shot from it, hitting several students, Blaise included. All students left standing ran from the room. None saw the membrane dissolve, revealing a much-changed Harry Potter.


	2. The Effects

**A/N: Wow, I'm stunned at the response I'm getting for this story. It kinda freaks me out. The story is finished, and honestly it's not that good. My crack fics are much better. Anyway, someone mentioned the length of this, saying they hoped the chapters would get longer, so I will repeat - this story is 8-9000 words (I added some after the last word count so I'm honestly not sure at the moment). The chapters (I think there are thirteen) are an average of 600 words long. That's it. So if that's not enough then go elsewhere. This story is already finished, I'm not adding to it. Anyway, this update comes a little early, 'cause I posted two new stories and added two chapters to my songfics, so I figure might as well add a little to this story while I'm here as well. Enjoy.**

Harry's short messy hair had lengthened to just past his waist. His already pale skin had taken on a luminescent quality. He remained short but filled out somewhat, leaving his body effeminate rather than undernourished. When he opened his eyes, the green remained but hints of sapphire blue were present. They glowed with an unearthly light.

He sat up slowly, glancing about the classroom. His eyes widened when he took in the sight of all the bodies. "I thought I got to it in time…" He let out a small whimper, feeling like a failure. He blinked at himself, since when was he the whimpering type?

He heard a groan behind him and whipped around in time to see his potion's professor gingerly picking himself up off the floor. He gasped at the changes in the man. His eyes were no longer black, but red. He'd grown a good two feet in height, his skin looked much healthier, and his hair looked clean and well cared for. His skin seemed to almost shimmer in the light. He was _almost_ (Harry would never actually admit that he'd, for even a moment, thought of the very hated man as being anything but gross) handsome.

The man's eyes took on a glazed look when they caught sight of Harry, his nostrils flaring. His upper lip pulled back in a snarl to reveal a sharp, white fang. "Mine!" he growled menacingly.

"Professor?" Harry asked, bewildered. He felt so odd. Even before he'd seen the fang, he'd felt very uncomfortable in the presence of another person. He knew this man, hated this man, was used to his presence, yet he felt unbearably shy and uncertain.

Snape let out another growl and took a step closer to Harry. "Mine!" he snapped again.

Harry jumped away from him. The growl grew louder and Snape slid closer, intending to pounce when his path was blocked by an equally furious Draco Malfoy. Who was sporting a large set of silver wings. The wings were wiggling, flapping occasionally in their agitation.

_Wings? What in the world is going on!?_ Harry thought, a tad freaked out. _Snape's a vampire and Malfoy's a veela. What's next?_

The two creatures growled at each other, a clear challenge. Draco, keeping Snape distracted, was surreptitiously moving closer and closer to Harry, trying to get to him first. They were so focused on each other that they didn't see Ron Weasley, with triangular ears that matched his hair, brandishing a fluffy orange tail with a white tip, slip past them.

Ron was moving fast toward Harry, his expression cocky. Until the floor turned to ice under his feet. He slipped and landed hard on his tail, letting out a pained whine. Crabbe, icicles hanging from his white hair, colorless eyes shining, bluish skin glowing, had joined the fight. Ron's feet and tail caught fire, melting the ice. The two moved away from Harry and closer to Draco and Snape, keeping the fight away from the prize.

Harry was still attempting to back out of the room. He heard a growl behind him that stopped him dead. He turned slowly, to see a large wolf with a sky-blue mane blocking his exit. _Oh shit…_

It stalked closer to him, its hackles rising. Harry whimpered. A few of the creatures fighting behind him, heard the small sound and tried to come to his aid. They were blocked by the rather large tree erupting from the dungeon floor. Goyle, his hair an odd mix of green and brown sat on its roots. Not actively participating in the battle, but not about to let them win it either.

_I'm doomed_, Harry thought miserably as the wolf moved closer. _Only a few feet left now…_

But before the animal could reach him a jaguar with Slytherin robes hanging from its neck, tackled it. They hit the wall with a loud thunk. The wolf turned on the cat with an angry snarl and they leapt at each other, claws bared.


	3. The One Where We Learn What Everybody Is

**A/N: Longer chapter for you! :) I really suck at this waiting to post deal, I can't seem to wait a full week lol. I want to just publish it all right now and get it over with, but I'd get in trouble so just have to dig deep and find patience!**

Harry was truly terrified now. Fighting on both sides and no way to escape. He started to hum, he wasn't really sure why. But he figured out rather quickly that it helped calm his nerves, he backed toward one of the walls pressing himself against it and out of the way. He curled into a ball, trying to make himself as small as possible. His humming grew louder.

Then he felt an arm slip around his shoulders, it was firm and strong. This presence didn't scare him like the other's did. It said to him, let me take you away from all of this. It promised him solitude and the comfort of water. "I'll protect you." A voice whispered in his ear. And Harry knew it to be true.

His humming turned into a song, no actual words, just a simple melody. The fighting around them slowly ceased, the different creatures coming to circle around the two on the floor. The jaguar and the wolf curled around Harry's legs and slept. The more human ones simply watched him, a few glaring at whoever sat behind him.

When his song ended, Draco snarled, "You may have gotten to him first, but don't be so arrogant as to think you'll manage to keep him! I will take him from you eventually."

"Oh I have no doubt you can take me in a fight." The soft voice behind Harry replied. _Who's is that voice? _He should know it, but the knowledge eluded him. It was familiar, but different. _It has a more musical quality, but I know it from somewhere. Whose is it?_ "Even so, it's not your decision, in the end. You may take him, but that doesn't mean you win."

Harry began to tremble, all these bodies so close to his own… He didn't like it, especially now that he'd stopped singing. The presence behind him wasn't enough to comfort him either. He felt very overwhelmed. Darkness surrounded him, and he lost consciousness. Probably not the brightest thing to do given his situation, but he couldn't control it. Lights out.

***

"…simply horrible Poppy. There he was collapsed on the floor and those ruffians fighting just beside him. Was lucky not to have a scratch on him. Had to stun the lot of them, they were beating… of each other."

"Hardly their fault Minerva. Potter a…would've guessed?"

"Certainly not I." Sniff. "And it gets worse, seems some of the creatures in the Forbidden Forest…his scent as well. They've surrounded the castle! We've had to bar all the doors and windows so that none of them get in. I just hope he finds a mate soon, or who knows how this madness will end!"

"Who do you think it will be?" The voice was excited.

"You never know with Potter. Had it been anyone else, I would've said a creature similar to his own, one that needs the water. My bet would've gone to Neville or Crabbe. But with Potter, it'll probably be something like a fire demon that dies if water touches it!"

"Such a shame. The poor wee lad…"

"Who is awake." The voice was sharp. "If you would join us, Mr. Potter, instead of shamelessly eavesdropping."

"Of course Professor McGonagall." Harry sat up, rubbing his eyes. "What happened, exactly?"

McGonagall started to explain but was interrupted. "Ah, Harry my boy! Good to see you're awake."

"Thank you Headmaster Dumbledore, now could everyone please take about five steps away from me and explain what happened?"

They all moved away from the bed. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "If you will allow me, Harry?" The boy nodded. "Well, it seems the potion that exploded in your class today is one that activates any dormant creature blood in the people it comes into contact with."

Harry stared. So, he was a creature too then? Wicked. "Um…sir? What am I, then?"

Dumbledore smiled, "You my dear boy are a Nokke."

Harry blinked, he'd never heard of it. "Uh…"

"A nokke, Harry, is a musical water sprite. Very rarely seen by humans as they have a rather shy nature."

"Is that why I feel so uncomfortable?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, all we really know about them is that they are usually heard singing at dawn and dusk. Music is part of them, their power source. They can't be out of the water for very long, though you'll probably be able to go without it until this situation is resolved, and they sometimes breed with humans."

"Fun." Harry said sullenly, not too pleased about the singing thing.

Dumbledore twinkled a bit more. "It will be fine Harry, you'll get used to it."

Harry chewed on his lip. "What about the others? I mean, I realize Snape-"

"_Professor_ Snape, Harry." He was reminded gently.

"Yeah him: is a vampire and Malfoy is a Veela. What about Ron and the rest?"

"Mr. Weasley is a kitsune, a fox demon with control over fire. Mr. Crabbe is the opposite, he's an agloolik, his power is over ice. Mr. Goyle is dryad or tree nymph. Mr. Thomas is a child of the legendary Asena-"

"Who's that?"

"A female wolf in Turkic mythology I believe. Well, not so mythological anymore. If I remember correctly, there was some kind of battle. A young soldier, a baby from a nearby village that was destroyed in some tellings, barely survived with his life. Asena, a wolf with a blue mane, found him and nursed him back to health. The boy impregnated the wolf. Asena had around ten babies, half-human, half-wolf, and all male. Mr. Thomas is apparently descended from that line."

_Wow… That would be one awkward story to tell the grandkids_, Harry thought, a little dazed. "And the rest of them?" He managed to squeak out.

"Ah, yes, where was I? Mr. Zabini is a canaima, or were-jaguar. And last but not least, Mr. Longbottom has revealed himself to be an ashray. A type of water spirit, one that is not so different from yourself Harry. They aren't as musically focused, and are often mistaken for ghosts, but otherwise there is little difference between the two of you."

Harry took all this in. It was a lot of information in a short amount of time, but he managed to retain it. One thing remained unanswered though. "Why were they all fighting?"

"That, my boy, is where the complication lies."

The lack of twinkle that accompanied that phrase told Harry that he wasn't going to like what was coming...


	4. The LongWinded Dumbledore

**A/N: Yeah so, I don't have the patience for once a week, especially with the massive case of insomnia I have going on. I don't care what she says I just can't do it. Updates will be every couple of days or every other day. I'll try to space it out but, eh... Anyway, wanted to address an unsigned review briefly. No Voldemort won't be affected by Harry's new creature status. Why? Because he's dead. I stated so more than once in the first chapter.**

_Last Time..._

_"That, my boy, is where the complication lies."_

_The lack of twinkle that accompanied that phrase told Harry that he wasn't going to like what was coming..._

And sure enough…

"Well Harry, there really is no way to simplify this, so do forgive the long-winded explanation. Nokkes, as I said before, are very rare creatures. Add that to your submissive status-"

"Submissive, how do you know that?"

"Your appearance is rather effeminant." Dumbledore answered promptly. "Of course, that isn't definitive so we had Madam Pomfrey run a few scans. They indicated that you now have the capability to bare children-"

"Woah, wait a minute! Hold the phone! I can bear children? As in, get pregnant and give birth?"

"Yes. Isn't it wonderful?" His eyes were back to twinkling again.

"Not exactly the word I would use Professor." Harry mumbled sullenly.

Dumbledore went on with his explanation, choosing to ignore Harry's mood. "As I was saying, only submissives are given the ability to bear children. All of this makes you a very desirable mate. Their creature sides can sense this. Then there's your scent."

"I smell?"

"Quite the contrary my dear boy. Now that your creature has awakened, it wants a mate. So it exudes a powerful scent to draw the strongest creatures, the best possible mates, to you. To these men, you smell heavenly: like freshly baked bread after months of being on a no-carb diet."

McGonagall rolled her eyes at his choice of words, but Harry flinched back in fear. He remembered what Dudley had been like when he'd gotten off a no-carb diet. Almost killed an old lady for a very small, half-empty bag of cookies. Harry wasn't sure about a lot of things, but he knew with 100% certainty that he didn't want to be the cookies in this scenario.

"So, let me see if I've got this right. They _all_ want to mate with me?"

"Yes. The pheromones the nokke produces at this time hold them in a kind of thrall. Until you at least claim one of them, you are all they'll be able to think about. They are a danger to everyone in this state. Everyone in this castle will be viewed as a threat. Also, some of those living in the Forbidden Forest-"

"Are after me too." Harry finished for him. "Great. So, do I get to choose or will it be a fight to the death?"

"Both."

"They will fight to the death given the oppurtunity, but I can prevent that by choosing one of them?"

They all nodded.

"So, what exactly do I have to do?"

"All you really need to do is announce your claim, though there are a few specific words you'll need to use. This will form a tentative bond between you and your chosen which will calm the thrall. They'll still fight each other, but they won't seek each other out to do so, and they won't be as drawn to you."

"So, they'll have to avoid each other for the rest of their lives?"

"No, only until the bond is completed. To do so you must have sex with your chosen; once this is done the thrall will cease entirely. They won't have the urge to attack each other and while they may be a bit overprotective of you, they will otherwise leave you alone."

"Great." So this whole miserable situation depended on him losing his virginity. Fucking wonderful. "And until I have claimed one of them, I'm assuming you've opened the floo so that people can come and go without being attacked?"

More nods.

He glanced around the hospital wing. "Where are you keeping them all?"

"Room of Requirement, we set it up kind of like a zoo."

"I'll bet they just love that."

"Not in the slightest, but we had no place else to put them. You're going to have to spend most of your time with them to keep them calm. If they get agitated enough, its possible that they may be able to escape. I've put all possible wards in place to prevent that, but you never know. You'll be excused from classes. Choose wisely and choose fast." Dumbledore said solemnly. Then he smiled, "Rest here for the night. Things will be better in the morning."

The three of them left Harry alone. He snuggled down under the covers, his last thought before he drifted off to sleep was: _Why does my life have to suck? I thought the drama would end once Voldiewarts was dead… It's just that much worse that it's against their will. They don't want me, they just can't help themselves…_


	5. The Very Long And Tiring Day

**A/N: An early update for ya (if it can be considered that at this point in our relationship)! Happy St. Patrick's Day! Tabhair 'om póg, is Éireannach mé! :D**

_The Next Day..._

Around four in the afternoon Harry sank onto his four-poster bed with a sigh. Only to jump back up in surprise. He turned to see what he'd sat on. His eyes widened in surprise. "Ginny? What the fuck are you doing in my bed?"

"I just came to comfort you Harry."

"I don't need comforting. Get out of my room!"

"Aw but Harry..."

"Ginny, I'm not in a very good mood and can't deal with your psychotic fan-girl fantasies right now!"

"Oh come on, you know you don't mean that. You love me."

"No I don't! Now leave before I hex you!"

She sat up on her knees and crawled over to him. She rose up to look him in the eye. _For fuck's sake even Ginny's taller than I am! UGH!_ Harry thought, disgusted. She trailed a finger down his chest, reaching for his pants. Harry's eyes widened and he shoved her away. She fell backwards off the other side of the bed. Ginny stood clumsily, then ran around the bed still trying to get to him. He pulled out his wand and mumbled a spell that drove her back and out the door. Harry followed, slamming the door behind her, locking it with the strongest spell he knew. He turned, resting his back against the wood that Ginny was still pounding on. He rubbed at his temples. _This day just gets worse and worse..._

While none of the students had attacked him (well, except Ginny) they'd all starred at him. Nothing Harry wasn't already used to, but today it had been a tad more disturbing. It wasn't the usual, "Oh, he's Harry Potter!" stares. These had been lust-filled, possessive. Harry shivered just thinking about it.

When he'd gone to the Great Hall for breakfast, every eye was on him. At first they were just curious, having heard rumors about what happened in Snape's classroom. Then they started to change. Because they weren't creatures, none of them were enslaved by the pheromones Harry was producing, but they were still affected. That and Harry's very sexy new look made him the center of attention. The longer he'd stayed in the room, the worse it got. Students from other houses (and even a few teachers) had moved to sit at the Gryffindor table. They'd moved closer and closer to him. Harry left the room in a hurry.

Dumbledore had followed. They'd decided that it was probably best for Harry to avoid everyone as much as possible. So from now on, when he wasn't in the Room of Requirement, he was to stay in his dorm. Seamus was the only one left besides Harry, and Harry could easily defend himself against one boy. The teachers were working on a potion that might make students immune to the pheromones. It wouldn't make Harry less attractive, but it would stop them from overreacting to his presence. The problem was, no one was as gifted in potions as Severus was, so Merlin only knew how long it would take. In the meantime, Hermione had been avoiding him so he had no one to talk to and meals were sent up to him.

His first visit to the "zoo" hadn't gone well either. Dean and Zabini, who would remain in their animal shapes until they became accustomed to the new forms according to Madam Pomfrey, were the worst behaved but the easiest to calm. Both creatures wanted him as a mate but were hesitant to attack him, given his more delicate state. However, they didn't like him going anywhere near the other enclosures, and freaked out when he did.

Dean would charge at the glass, hurting himself in the process. Zabini, was a much more troublesome kettle of fish. He tried scratching at the glass, making high-pitched noises that upset the other beasties. While they couldn't get out of the enclosures, they had discovered a way to use their powers on each other. It hadn't been pretty and he'd been forced to call in Flitwick to upgrade the security, as well as Madam Pomfrey to heal the poor thing's injuries.

He'd entered Dean's pen first. Strangely, Zabini hadn't minded this. In fact, he'd settled down with his back turned. Seeming to indicate a trust that Dean wouldn't hurt Harry or a doubt in Dean's ability to win Harry. Dean held the same contempt/trust in Zabini. Harry went so far as to lower the barrier between the two rooms. At first the two had growled at each other, taking swipes and flashing their teeth. The abrupt change in body language when Harry began humming lightly, had been startling. They sniffed each other and came to some sort of truce, settling down on either side of Harry. Although Dean would occasionally shoot Zabini a suspicious glance or two and Zabini took great pleasure in smacking Dean with his tail. Harry continued humming, stroking Dean's blue mane and Zabini's smooth fur. Eventually the two had fallen asleep. Not so much as twitching when Harry left.

He hadn't seen Neville. Dumbledore had mentioned that ashray's were nocturnal. Whether he was in the lagoon he'd been provided or sleeping somewhere else out of sight, Harry didn't know, but decided it was probably best to not bother him.

Draco had been his usual self, for the most part. Rather aggressive and very chatty. Veela are persuaders of the finest caliber. First he tried to convince Harry to enter his enclosure because he was "much better company than those damned mongrels." Harry refused, so he switched topics, going on and on about how hot it was, trying to get Harry to take off his clothes. Nothing he said was able to convince Harry to do anything, so he'd tried dancing. The Veela's dance was memorizing, some would go so far as to classify it as a form of brainwashing. When that failed as well (as the glass was especially charmed to prevent that), he'd thrown a fit, destroying the Slytherin Common Room/aviary environment he'd been provided. He must've triggered the wards for, moments later; a purplish-green gas had filled the room. Less than a minute later, the Malfoy heir had been lying in an ungraceful heap on the floor dead to the world.

Goyle had stayed close to the large oak in the center of his pen. He'd waved at Harry and shot him a few nervous glances (tree nymphs weren't known for their socializing), but otherwise hadn't payed him much attention. He seemed to prefer talking to the tree.

Ron appeared to be almost back to normal, had even apologized for what happened. Said that while he couldn't help his reaction to Harry, or more specifically the pheromones the boy was exuding, he did remember that they were friends and wanted nothing more. "I don't want you as a mate at all, no offense." Harry had reassured him, he didn't mind at all. It was one less problem for him to deal with. "That's good, that you don't mind I mean. See, I know who my real mate is." Harry had been interested to note that he'd spent a great deal of time staring at Draco.

Crabbe had been building some kind of oddly shaped ice sculpture. He said it was a statue of Harry, but Harry thought it looked more like some kind of weird cross between a troll and an aardvark. As long as he wasn't causing any trouble, Harry didn't really mind, he just hoped no one *cough* Rita Skeeter *cough* ever got a picture of it.

Snape (though Harry wasn't sure why he was surprised) had been the most disturbing. Snape had spent the whole time staring at Harry. His blood red eyes had followed him from enclosure to enclosure, not once looking away. It was unnerving. Sometimes he would mutter, "Mine…" Otherwise, he said nothing, and made no other attempt to communicate. He would lick his lips and run his hands down the glass. The gesture seemed to indicate how easy it would be for him to break out, but he never made a single attempt. Harry shivered at the memory. Dumbledore said that everything would be fine once he'd chosen his mate, but Snape's intense, ardent stare said otherwise...

**A/N: I don't understand why I've become a Ron/Draco shipper. This is like my third story where they're a couple and I don't even really like them as a couple. The only thing I can figure is that subconsciously I like the unlikeliness of the pairing. *Shrugs* Idk..**


	6. The Bad Idea

_That same night..._

Harry stood up, the memory of Snape's behavior making him feel very anxious. He pressed his ear to the door. He was pretty sure Ginny had left but didn't want to take the chance. He took the Marauder's Map out of his trunk and checked it carefully. Ginny wasn't even on the same floor. He sighed in relief. Hermione and Seamus were the only two in the tower. Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and walked down to the common room. At first he didn't see anyone in there and gave a shrug,_ they must've left when I was putting the map away_. He'd almost made it to the portrait when he heard a moan and a lot of shifting. He turned back, his eyes popping out of his head when he realized what he'd just walked in on. Seamus Finnegan on top of Hermione. He stood there gaping for a few moments, unable to help himself. When the clothes started coming off he shuddered and left the room in a hurry, barely remembering to throw on his cloak.

He went down to the dungeons. Last year he'd discovered a secret passageway that opened up inside a tree in front of Black Lake. He used it now. He desperately needed to be submerged in water. Harry just hoped that the spell to mask his scent and the invisibility cloak would be enough to hide him from whatever beasties awaited him outside.

Once at the lake he stripped down to his boxers and dove in. The relief he felt was immediate. It was wonderful. Somehow, this was different than his experience in fourth year during the Triwizard Tournament. Then it had just been something he needed to do. Now it was like freedom. It gave him the same euphoric feeling as flying and it was marvelous. What made it even better was that this time he didn't need to go up for air or swallow gillyweed or use a charm to be able to breathe. He figured it was just whatever powers that came with being a water sprite that automatically made it breathable for him. Though he was enjoying himself too much to care or give it much thought.

He also wasn't being attacked by Grindylows, in fact they seemed to avoid him. Some of the mermen swam after him, but they were easy enough to elude. He discovered that he could make the water solidify to form a wall or create bubbles to act as a kind of mist. The Giant Squid swatted at him playfully, but otherwise left him alone.

Harry lost track of time, swimming for hours on end. When he finally poked his head out of the water he was surprised to find that it was nighttime. He swam to shore. Unfortunately, the scent-masking spell had long since worn off. He took one, maybe two steps when he felt himself swept up in a pair of large, hairy arms. His one panicked thought, _HAGRID!?! WHERE ARE YOU WHEN I NEED YOU!?!?_

He let out a shriek. He felt stupid doing it, but knew that without his wand, his best chance of escaping was to use his voice. It was laced with power and sure enough he was dropped almost immediately. He looked up to find Bane, the centaur he'd met in his first year, cringing with his hands over his ears. Behind him was one of the more unusual beings he'd ever seen, coming from a wizard of some six years that was saying a lot. The man had no forehead; instead he had an extra six eyes. He also had four extra arms. Harry gave another shriek to keep them at bay, and watched in a sort of horrified fascination as the man dropped to the ground in pain: morphing into an acromantula and back again. Huh. He didn't know they could do that.

He was snapped out of his daze by a loud roar coming from the general direction of Hagrid's cabin and ran to his tree, grabbing his clothes and cloak as he went. Once safely ensconced inside, he sat down with a huff. It took him several minutes to calm his heart and breathing. Geez, Volemort was dead and he still couldn't go anywhere without being attacked by _something_. The only difference was previously they'd all wanted to kill him and now they wanted to possess him and fuck him. Honestly, he didn't know which was worse.

He trudged back to Gryffindor tower. He didn't like staying in the dorm room now that he was the only one in it (Seamus had been disappearing every night, with Hermione, Harry now knew). Still, he didn't have anywhere else to go. He curled up on his bed and went straight to sleep, completely exhausted.


	7. The Dream

"_Hello Harry."_

_Harry blinked, looking around in wonder. He wasn't in the hospital wing. He was in some kind of underwater paradise. There were fish and coral everywhere. It was calming. It was colorful. It was the most beautiful place he'd ever seen._

"_Do you like it?"_

_Harry recognized the voice, it was the musical voice that had calmed him when the others had been fighting. He turned to see Neville Longbottom floating just behind him. But it wasn't the Neville he was used to. His warm, friendly brown eyes were the same, though they now had a bit of silver and shone with confidence instead of nervousness. His blond hair had hints of blue and green. His lean body had an added layer of muscle. His once tanned skin was pale, nearly translucent. He seemed to almost blend in with the water; distinguished only by his eyes and hair. Harry could see now how this creature might be mistaken for a ghost._

"_Yes, I love it. Where are we?"_

"_The Irish Sea, several miles southwest of the castle*."_

"_It's gorgeous." He stretched out an arm and one of the fish swam into his palm, cuddling against him playfully. "Is this real?"_

_Neville shrugged. "In a way. Have you ever heard of astral projection?"_

"_Where you send your consciousness somewhere else while your body stays where it is?"_

"_Yes that's exactly it. This is a real place, but we're only here in spirit. Do you understand?"_

"_I think so." Harry gave Neville a long, searching look. "Why did you bring me here?"_

"_I wanted to show you how this, us, could be. Down here, it's beautiful, surrounded by magic. You don't have to be famous. You don't have to be the 'Boy-Who-Lived'. You can be Harry, just Harry, with no one around to make you uncomfortable."_

_Neville pressed his chest to the boy's back and wrapped his arms around the lithe creature Harry had become. Harry melted into the embrace, feeling more comfortable than he had in months. "I've always loved you. Since first year. I'd do anything to make you happy. I don't want to possess you, and I don't want you because you're a desirable mate. I just want you. This thing that happened has just given me the opportunity to have you. I won't fight like the others because I know how much that upsets you. And I won't force you to be with me. If you choose one of the others, I'll accept that. I just want what's best for you."_

_Harry turned in the embrace, locking eyes with the man Neville had grown into. "Thank you." He whispered softly. He reached up, looping his arms around the lined neck, noting with interest that Neville _did _have gills. His eyes flicked back up, chocolate meeting mint. He stretched up and pressed his lips to Neville's._

***

Harry woke with a jolt, sitting straight up in bed. Had it been real? He pulled his knees to his chest, wrapping his arms loosely about his legs. He hoped it was real, but, when had anything in his life ever gone the way he wanted? He tossed and turned the rest of the night, far too stressed to fall asleep...

**A/N: *Some sources said it was to the west of Scotland, others said it was to the south, the only maps I could find that showed it seemed mostly west to me, but most (and my dad) said south west so that's what I went with. I suck so hardcore at Geography so, if I'm wrong, or if someone has a better suggestion as to their location, PLEASE let me know. **


	8. The Mark

The next day did not start out well. Seems this week was destined to be a crappy one.

Remus and Sirius decided to visit. Since Remus was already mated to Sirius, Dumbedore said his beast shouldn't be affected by Harry's scent. He was wrong. Very wrong.

Harry had been sitting in Dumbledore's office, waiting for the couple to floo in while trying not to scream at the headmaster that no, he didn't want any fucking lemon drops! After refusing politely, if rather tersely for the tenth time, he'd found himself on the floor with an agitated werewolf straddling him and tearing at his robes.

The headmaster quickly sent a stunner at him, but with his wolf in this agitated state Remus was less susceptible to the spell and broke from it in a matter of moments. Sirius stepped in front of Harry, knowing the werewolf wouldn't be able to harm his own mate. He was right, but Remus refused to stop. He sidestepped Sirius and tackled Harry again, intending to mark him.

He bit down on Harry's neck. It was a small bite, showing the werewolf's interest in the boy, but was not enough to claim. Harry was freaking out at this point, even his creature instincts, which recognized Remus as powerful, protested. This wasn't a potential mate, this was a parent. Both Dumbledore and Sirius sent spells at Remus, a stronger version of the standard stunner and a petrifying spell. It was enough to take him down.

Sirius was beside himself, apologizing to Harry in one breath and screaming bloody murder at Remus in the next. When Harry fled the room, Remus calmed down long enough to say he still loved Sirius but couldn't seem to help himself. He apologized several times, his guilt turning to self-flagellation. Sirius managed to calm him down, but with a condition. So now Remus had an enclosure of his own for whenever they felt the need to visit until Harry made a decision; which Sirius begged him to do as quickly as possible.

Harry agreed to hurry, which was why he was on his way down to the Room of Requirement, again. He would've preferred more time, especially considering how well the last visit had faired. That and he needed to think about the dream, if that's what it was. He needed to talk to Neville. Harry just hoped he was awake this time.

He stepped into the "zoo". Almost instantly, all of the creatures appeared, pressed hard against the glass keeping them in. Except, of course, Neville. Harry sighed, already discouraged.

He stepped over to Dean and Blaise's cage, intending to go in when a rather vicious snarl echoed through the room. He froze. That sounded like Snape… He glanced up to see that all of them, though they had calmed when he entered the room, were now restless, almost frantic. What could've upset them so quickly? His gaze slid to Ron, who was closest and saw that he was glaring rather intensely at Harry's neck.

Harry's hand slid up feeling the mark Remus had made. Could that be it? He backed away from them slowly, moving towards the door. Dumbledore said there was a possibility of them escaping. So it was probably best that he leave long enough for them to calm down again, maybe get a band aid while he was at it, just in case. He turned his back on them and grasped the door knob.

CRACK!

He whirled back around just in time to see Snape break the glass that had been keeping him in...


	9. The Desperate Act

He opened his mouth to scream, but it was too late. Snape had one arm around his waist, holding his arms down and his other hand over his mouth before Harry could even blink. The vampire tilted the boy's head back against his chest and to the side, exposing his throat and the mark Remus had left there.

Harry felt a warm tongue slide against his skin and shuddered. Part of his instincts were telling him that _Severus_ was an acceptable mate, powerful and fearsome. But the rest of him was screaming that this didn't feel right. He did not want _Snape_ his greasy, old, most-hated professor _licking_ him!

He felt teeth scrape against his skin and flinched. Snape biting him would only exacerbate the situation. The other creatures, furious that not only one but two people had managed to mark him, would become infuriated. Their fury would provide them with an adrenaline rush. The subsequent power boost would enable them to escape as well. They would kill each other and take most of the student population with them.

He tried screaming again but the sound was too muffled and the man's bloodlust too strong for it to have any effect. Harry's eyes swept the room wildly, looking for any possible solution. The other creatures were trying to get out. Harry knew that if even one of them managed it he would probably be killed. They didn't want to hurt him, but their rage would blind them to the fact that he was standing in between them and their prey.

His eyes landed on Neville. He was up, the water from the lagoon surrounding him, allowing him to breathe. He was pressed against the glass like the others but seemed to be much calmer. His gaze was focused intently on Harry, not giving Snape a second thought. Harry closed his eyes; _please let this be the right choice… _He sent a sharp command to the Room of Requirement, desperately hoping it would respond to his thoughts. _Please, I need him_. And just like that, Neville was freed.

The glass on Neville's cage dissolved and with a loud rushing sound, the water in his enclosure spilled out, carrying Neville with it. The ashray stood, a circle of water remained around his neck so he could breathe. He made a few complex motions with his hands and the water surrounded Snape, separating him from Harry.

Snape fell to his knees, agony plainly written on his face. The lack of air didn't bother him, he didn't need to breathe, but the pain was excruciating. Water was not fond of vampires. The distaste was mutual. Running water is natural and pure, a symbol of life. A vampire is dark and unnatural; its very existence defies the laws of life and death. It wasn't anything as dramatic as melting, but there was a lot of screaming involved.

The water carried Snape back to his cage and trapped him in a far corner before pulling away from his skin. The screaming stopped, but the man was soaking wet and clearly still in pain. Snape stayed in the corner, his eyes fixed on Harry and Neville. Lust and rage warred in his eyes. The need for revenge won out but he could not move. He was not willing to put himself through that kind of pain again.

Harry ordered the Room of Requirement to seal off the pen before Snape could decide that killing Neville and taking Harry was worth the price. Today sucked. The stress just kept piling, only to crash down on him when he wasn't keeping it balanced. He slumped down and would've fallen had he not been caught by a pair of strong arms, one wrapping around his hips, the other around his shoulders. He was pulled against a warm body and felt a chin set lightly on the top of his head.

"Hello Harry."


	10. The Claim

**A/N: Yeah so this is a tad abrupt but, in all honesty - I don't care. Only a few chapters left to go (there are 13 in total) so by my estimation you'll have the end of this story on Saturday (unless something happens or I get even less patient than I already am-and for those of you wondering the lack of patience comes from the fact that I finally finished my Godzilla of a vampire/dragon story and want to get it up and done with so that I can forget I ever wrote the monstrosity as soon as possible but I want to wait til I've finished posting this story before I post that one). Anyway, this story has been getting a lot of response, especially last chapter and I want to thank everybody for their input and questions which I hope I answered to your satisfaction. Enjoy.**

Harry couldn't help but smile. Neville's voice was amazing. Deep with a perfect tone and lilting musical quality. He could listen to it all day.

"Hey Nev." He replied softly. "Um…was last night-I mean, was that…the dream, was it real?"

"Yes. It was very real and I meant every word." Neville angled his head slightly so he could whisper into Harry's ear. "I love you Harry."

His warm breath tickled the sensitive appendage and Harry held back a moan of longing. His eyes swept over the others in the room. He knew he should probably think about this more; after all it had only been a few days. However, he also knew that no amount of thinking would change his mind. He had chosen Neville. The Nokke which had fused itself to his very soul because it refused to be a separate entity named Thornton had chosen Neville. In hindsight, Harry knew that he should've chosen a cooler name.

Harry chewed on his lower lip. He just wished that he could be sure Neville was telling the truth. That he'd already loved Harry before and the creature had nothing to do with it. The thrall not creating the feelings, merely enhancing them. But there was no way to be sure until Harry made his claim

He turned to face Neville, who was now significantly taller than him. Harry found himself looking a pectoral muscle right in the nipple. He leaned back so that he could see Neville's face. He stretched to his tiptoes to press a light kiss on the man's lips. He jerked back when a cacophony of sound hit his ears. Those still caged were clearly displeased; there were howls, snarls, roars, and high-pitched screeching.

He flipped around to see the creatures once again trying to smash, burn, freeze, and scratch their way to freedom. He stepped out of the comforting circle that Neville's arms provided and faced them all, determination in his eyes. "I claim him!" He shouted.

All of them froze and focused on Harry. Harry hesitated. Dumbledore had told him the words, he knew what he had to do. But what if he was making the wrong choice? It would calm them enough so that they could be released. They could be around other people, the urge to get to Harry no longer all-consuming. They still wouldn't be safe in each other's presence until he and Neville sealed the bond, but that didn't need to happen now. He liked Neville didn't he? Harry hadn't really considered the boy to be a possible love interest before this, but that didn't mean anything. The point was that he liked him now. Plus, there was still time to get to know him. _This is what I should do, really the only thing I can do_. Harry took a deep breath and continued.

"I release you." The heady scent that had been following him around since he turned nokke dissipated. The creatures all dragging in large gulps of air, as if they'd been starving for clean air. In a way, Harry supposed that was true. Snape's eyes went from red to black and he looked mighty embarrassed. Harry did a little happy dance in his head. His fears had been for naught and Snape looked almost cute as a tomato. "Unless this is revoked you no longer have any rights to me. I claim Neville Longbottom!"

Neville gave a triumphant hiss. "And I claim Harry Potter."


	11. The Calm Before the Storm

In the week that followed, there were a lot of changes made in Harry's life and his future plans. His need for the water was growing stronger. Dumbledore had taught him a few spells for conjuring water. It seemed that as long as his feet, at the very least, were wet he could attend classes without too many problems. They called in an expert on water creatures who said that by the end of the month, Harry probably wouldn't be able to leave the water at all. For Neville it was different, his creature was not as closely tied to the element. As long as he could breath, he had no problems leaving the water. Harry, however, needed the solitude and constant comfort the water provided and soon, he would be dependent on it.

It scared Harry, what kind of job could he have if he couldn't leave the water? Dumbledore came up with a solution, of course. He told Harry, "Study under a master of whatever subject you want. Once you have gained your own mastery, I will offer you the teaching position for it. Your class can be held at the shore of the Black Lake, or we can even set up a classroom with a pool in it."

Harry jumped on the idea at once. It was perfect. As long as he was in the water he could handle a group of students, especially as he got more accustomed to teaching. He was already planning to get his mastery in Defense Against the Dark Arts; it was his favorite subject and he knew he would love teaching it. Neville even mentioned that he planned on taking over Herbology for Professor Sprout, who had already agreed to take him on as an apprentice.

Harry and Neville were officially an item, which was wonderful. Though he no longer doubted Neville's feelings for him, he was still a little weary of completing the bond. Neville wasn't pressuring him and Dumbledore had assured him that they could cope for awhile and to just take his time. So he was trying not to worry about it. Instead he devoted his free time to learning all there was to know about Neville. His likes and dislikes, his good points and his bad. Harry found that they had more in common than he'd realized and every day fell just a little bit more in love with him. He didn't want to rush things anymore than he already had, but it was difficult. His every instinct screamed at him to complete the bond, which only made him more determined to take his time.

As for day to day life in the castle; everyone had been separated as much as possible. Most receiving their own individual rooms scattered about the castle and being separated into classes shared by the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, or individual classes if needed. It was a bit of an inconvenience, but nothing too strenuous.

Snape avoided him at all costs, refusing to look at, much less speak with him. In potions, which the rest of the creatures were now being taught by Dumbledore himself, he'd stopped making any and all comments on Harry's ineptitude. He didn't even take away points. All of which suited Harry and the rest of the Gryffindors just fine.

Crabbe and Goyle acted pretty much the same as usual; vacuous and quiet. Draco and Ron had managed to overcome some of their instincts and were now dating. It would be easier once Harry completed the bond and they didn't have the urge to kill each other. Draco bugged Harry about it at every opportunity but Ron was content just spending time with the petulant blond.

Dean had returned to human form and was back to normal for the most part. He could change into his wolf form at will, and for the most part was in complete control. When he became really agitated however, he couldn't help but change. He developed a fondness for raw meat and had the most unusual urge to chase down Professor McGonagall.

Zabini remained a jaguar. Hagrid was now responsible for his care for however long he needed it. Dean sometimes went out to run and play with him.

Life was good. There had been the occasional accident, like when Crabbe had been wandering around and run into Dean. Luckily, they hadn't hurt anyone but each other. Otherwise, they had no problems. Harry could relax, for awhile...

**A/N: Two more chapters to go and all is right in Beazledorf. **


	12. The Insomniac

**A/N: Yeah I know last chapter sucked; the order was weird, transition from paragraph to paragraph kind of stilted. So bad I almost considered posting this early but decided against it. **

Harry jerked awake, screaming. The silencing charm around his bed making sure Ron and Seamus didn't wake up. He sighed when he realized it was just another nightmare, even with Voldemort gone he still had at least two a week. He rolled over, trying to get back to sleep. It didn't work. Harry took a few deep breaths but couldn't seem to calm down. No matter how often he had the dreams, he couldn't get used to the absolute terror he felt when they occurred.

It was like the night when he'd needed to find water. Tonight he needed Neville. The claim he'd made and the growing bond between them didn't like much distance between them. Day by day it had been getting worse. It was like having an itch you couldn't scratch, growing more and more irritating. Neville was feeling it too. Just a few nights ago it had gotten to be too much for him and Harry had woken up to find him and Ron beating the crap out of each other. He'd managed to separate them but Neville refused to leave the dorm. Seamus ended up sleeping in the commons while Harry spent the rest of the night listening to Neville and Ron growling at each other.

Tonight it was his turn. He wouldn't be able to calm down without Neville, and sleep would most likely be impossible. Harry flipped over onto his stomach. Then he went back to resting on his left side. Only to roll over onto his right side. He couldn't even manage to get comfortable! He flopped over onto his back, giving a sharp huff. _Sleep, sleep, sleep...Please sleep. _After another twenty minutes of tossing and turning to no avail, he admitted defeat.

Harry slid out of bed and wandered through the hallways until he reached the portrait of a sleeping mermaid. Neville took Harry to his rooms for a few hours every day after classes ended so he didn't have any trouble finding it and already knew the password. The background was almost identical to where Neville had taken him in the dream. He cleared his throat loudly. The mermaid woke with a jerk and glared at him blinkingly. "Wha'?"

"Sorry to wake you. Zinnia Envy." He blushed slightly as he mumbled the password. The zinnia was a green flower Neville said reminded him of Harry's eyes.

The mermaid smiled sleepily, "It's no problem dear. He was hoping you would drop by."

Harry blinked at her, startled. She smirked and swung open silently. Harry crept slowly inside. It didn't take him long to find Neville. To attend classes Dumbledore had created a sort of collar filled with water that covered his gills and allowed Neville to breathe without having to constantly focus on his magic. It was bloody uncomfortable to sleep in though, so there was a large pool, about thirty feet deep, in the center of the room that he could sleep in instead. It was pretty far down so difficult to make anything out, but the water was clear enough that Harry could see clear to the bottom. Sure enough, he was naked, curled against one of the walls, resting comfortably.

Harry bit his lip. He didn't want to wake him. Neville had made him promise to come to him with any problems though, so surely he wouldn't mind. He nibbled on his lip a bit more, forcing himself to stop when he tasted blood.

He shook his head and mustered up his courage. _What am I anyway: a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff? _He walked over to the pool and sat down at the edge, sliding carefully into the cool water. He swam down to where Neville was, directing the water as best he could so as not to disturb him. He lay down next to Neville, as close as he could get without touching him. The bond, as he expected, calmed down, though it wasn't completely satisfied. Harry wanted no _needed_ contact with his mate. But could he do that without waking him up?

He stared at Neville's prone form for a few moments then gently took the larger boy's hand in his own. The relief was immediate. Harry gave a contented sigh and drifted off to sleep...


	13. The Waking The Sex The Surprise The End

Harry awoke in Neville's arms, something hard pressed against his backside. He froze, unsure what to do.

"Harry."

Talking underwater was strange. Both the ashray and the nokke, much like the merpeople, had the same way of speaking. It was very similar to whale song. Harry was used to it, but, he still couldn't get over just how wonderful it sounded. Neville's song was one of the most beautiful sounds he'd ever heard.

"Harry, you know I won't do anything to force you. Don't be scared. We won't do anything you don't want to happen."

Harry turned in Neville's arms and looked up into his eyes; the comfortingly warm brown orbs flecked with silver. He kissed him. He had no worries. He was in the arms of his chosen surrounded by his element, he was ready for anything.

Neville pulled away quickly and rested his forehead against Harry's. When he spoke his voice had two layers. "We're sorry. This will be very fast. We've been waiting, holding ourselves back. We're sorry we can't make this what it should be."

"It's alright Nev." Harry whispered, reaching up to press his lips to Neville's. "I'm with you. The rest doesn't matter."

With a fierce growl Neville took control of the kiss. It was possessive, almost angry. Harry groaned and gave as good as he got. There was a clash of teeth and tongues. The cut on his lower lip opened and Harry tasted blood.

Neville roared, the silver taking over his eyes. With a few quick movements he tore off Harry's pajama bottoms. He spread Harry's legs, settling between them. Neville did his best to prepare Harry, but the ashray was too desperate and Neville wasn't able to keep control for long. He thrust into Harry and bit down high on his neck, just under his jaw line. Harry screamed, arching his back.

Their joining was fast, ruthless. But after a few strokes, Neville calmed. The silver receded, and the focus switched from claiming to pleasure. Neville slowed his pace, and wrapped a hand around Harry's dick, pumping slowly. Harry's breathing, harsh from the pain, slowed, turned to pants. It was all a bit too much for him, he came quickly. The automatic cleansing spell on the pool removing the evidence of his pleasure.

_Neville._ It was Harry's only thought. Thoughts of Neville consumed him, took him over. He was wholly focused on the man above him. The play of his muscles, the concentrated loving expression, the water playing with the blond hair, everything. _I love him…_

"I love you Neville."

Those beautiful eyes widened and with a guttural moan Neville released himself into Harry. He wrapped Harry tightly in his arms.

"I love you too, my beautiful Harry. I'll never let you go."

Harry smiled.

_A few hours later…_

Ron sent a mischievous grin Harry's way. "So Harry, what were you up to this morning?"

Harry blushed, and couldn't help glancing at Neville. "Nothing."

Draco chuckled. "Sorry Potter, it's not gonna fly. Hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but we _all_ know. See a few hours ago we were woken up rather abruptly, any hint of thrall completely gone. Oh and Blaise has gained back his human form. Didn't take a genius to figure out what happened."

Ron's smirk widened obnoxiously. "So did you enjoy it? Bum still sore?"

Harry's blush spread to his entire body and he sank under the table, completely mortified. "Neville, I don't think I'll ever forgive you for this…"

Neville and Harry were walking back to Neville's room (Dumbledore decided to let Neville keep it since he still needed the pool to sleep and Harry soon would as well) when they ran into Dean.

He sniffed them a few times (as was his habit since his transformation) and raised an eyebrow. "Wow, pregnant on the first go." He winked at Neville. "Didn't know you were such a stud."

"What?"

The End

**A/N: Alrighty so here we are (finally) at the end. I know it moved pretty fast and is short but that's how I wanted it. I don't know, maybe my problem is that I'm not good with embellishment. I have no problem bullshitting but I don't like going on and on and on and on, esp when in my mind there's no need for it. They already know each other and are comfortable with each other, I mean they've been together for longer than most relationships last, and the claim is the most important part, it's a commitment in and of itself.**

**Anything that needs clarifying? Let me know so I can fix. Thank you for reading. Sorry about the choppy chapters but its the only way I can do it - write first and chop up later. Hope everyone enjoyed. :) Look forward to my next story which I lovingly refer to as my large pile of epic fail coming probably tomorrow.**


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